...Netanyahu's intention to keep all of Jerusalem and his demand for recognition of Israel as a Jewish state,...

Whether or not one agrees...it is fitting, in my opinion, that an Israeli leader finally recognizes the importance of maintaining sovereignty over the nation they were given by God.

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06-15-2009, 01:40 PM

Keith Farmer

This is a rather interesting read for history buffs concerning the meaning of the name Jerusalem:

A Midrashic interpretation (see here for explanation of Midrashic:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midrash) in Genesis Rabba explains that Abraham came to the city that was then called Shalem after rescuing Lot. Upon arrival, he asked the king and high priest Melchizedek to bless him, and Melchizedek did so in the name of God (indicating that he, like Abraham, was a monotheist). This encounter between Melchizedek and Abraham was commemorated by renaming the city in their honor: the name Yeru (derived from Yireh, the name Abraham gave to the Temple Mount) was combined with Shalem, producing Yeru-Shalem, meaning the "city of Shalem," or "founded by Shalem." If shalem means "complete," or "without defect, " Yerushalayim would mean the "perfect city," or "the city of he who is perfect". The ending -im indicates the plural in Hebrew grammar and -ayim the dual, leading to an interpretation of the name as representing two facets of the city, such as two hills. The pronunciation of the last syllable as -ayim appears to be a late development, which had not yet appeared at the time of the Septuagint. (http://www.judaic.com/judaism/jerusalem.html)

and

Quote:

The Midrash describes the Divine consideration that went into endowing the city with its final name.

"If I call it Yireh like Avraham did, the righteous Malki-Tzedek will feel slighted, and if I call it Shalem like Malki-Tzedek did, the righteous Avraham will feel slighted. I will therefore call it Yireh Shalem Yerushalayim to satisfy both."

Shalem means peace and perfection while Yireh means service of G-d. Only when man serves Hashem can he hope to achieve the peace and perfection symbolized by Yireh-shalem Yerushalayim. (http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/1495/print)